NASA downplays news about discovery by Curiosity rover on Mars (Poll)

by Andrea Wang

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NASA's Mars rover Curiosity dug up five scoops of sand from a patch nicknamed "Rocknest." Officials announced that findings will be presented on Monday. NASA/JPL-Caltech

Like proud parents, NASA scientists have rhapsodized about each of the Mars rover Curiosity's accomplishments. But some say their baby's newest step isn't as monumental as the people back at mission control made it out to be.

A little over a week ago, National Public Radio reported that the Curiosity mission's principal investigator John Grotzinger said recent analysis of a scoop of Red Planet soil could yield historic results. Grotzinger's refusal to reveal specifics unleashed a wave of excitement, which led to rampant speculation, including that it may be organic compounds.